I started eating kale about 12 years ago after switching to a plant-based way of eating to increase my chances of cancer-free, long-term survival from advanced breast cancer.
Personally, I didn't have to be encouraged to eat kale. I was willing to try anything that might help me - I wanted to live. I had two kids, ages 8 and 12 at that time, and changing my diet made sense to me and gave me hope. Kale was just one of the many new foods I added to my diet.
My 12-year-old son, on the other hand, needed quite a bit of encouragement to try kale, and I confess that I resorted to bribery with him. It worked and got him try small amounts of kale - enough for him to see that it really doesn't have the strong taste he thought it might.
I'm always surprised when people tell me that they don't eat kale, but love spinach. Kale is much milder than spinach. If you can eat spinach with its strong, bitter taste, kale would be a breeze.
Why focus on kale? It's one of the best things you can put into your body - an excellent source of non-dairy calcium, magnesium and fiber.
I decided to write about kale after some comments I received on my recent "Anti-Cancer Breakfast" from people hesitant to try this nutritious vegetable. Many people who once scoffed at the idea of eating kale go on to become enthusiastic kale eaters after trying it! Eat. More. Kale! I invite you to try my Kale Challenge.
Take baby steps as you start my challenge. For one week, cook half a bunch of kale, or even only ¼ a bunch, each day because you're only going to start with very small amounts.
Steam it with a pinch of sea salt (use regular salt if you don't have sea salt), then chop it into smaller (tiny) pieces. Serve each member of your family as small an amount as a teaspoon or two. Eat, chew and applaud yourselves. Sometimes the kids will start by swallowing it whole. That's OK, if it's chopped into tiny pieces.
Day one or two may be the hardest ... but keep this up for a full week, and keep the amounts small... no pressure to eat large amounts. Do this for seven days and observe your results. You may surprise at what happens if you give it your best shot!
Simply steam it, or try my recipe for sautéing:
SAUTEED KALE WITH ONIONS & ALMONDS
1 bunch of kale, washed and sliced thinly into ribbons
1 teaspoon sesame or olive oil
1 large onion, sliced in half, then each half sliced into half moon pieces 1 teaspoon soy sauce or ¼ teaspoon of sea salt
¼ cup of sliced almonds (or toasted sunflower seeds)
Variation: If hot and spicy is your preference, try a little hot pepper sesame oil in place of the sesame oil.
Heat a cast-iron skillet on medium-high and add oil and onions. Add sea salt or soy sauce. Sauté 2-3 minutes, or until onions are translucent. Add sliced kale and another pinch of salt. Sauté another 3-4 minutes, until kale is cooked, but still bright green and slightly soft.
Top with the toasted nuts or seeds.
Remove from skillet and serve over brown rice, or as a side dish. Serves 6-8.
Are you up for the Challenge? Do you already eat kale? How do you like it prepared? If you have a kale story, share it here.
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Give it your best shot and let me know how it goes!
Would be nice to see some more good positive kale press (I agree!)? Unless it is a kale product that's be processed and repackaged we probably won't see any rebranding, but I know what you mean!
Thanks so much for commenting!
sauteed in olive oil with onion, plenty of garlic and I like to throw in some pre-cooked italian sausage. Precooked to ensure healthy nourishment but also to render much fat away
Grilled pizza is cool cause as a dinner party everyone creates their own pie!
individual crusts are rolled out, grilled on the Q for 4-5 min
flipped onto a plate and topped to desire
placed back onto the grill with the raw dough down
and when cheese is melted or the dough is cooked thoroughly then VOILA
Kale is always one of the choices available here
of course what ever tickles your tastebuds
but I reserve the right to refuse bar b qued chicken on pizza!
If you have kale as a choice of pizza toppings, you are doing something right!
Thank you SO much! Let me know how you do with the Kale Challenge! I love Rachael Ray (my secret wish is to be on her show!) I fell in love with her watching her with vegan athlete, John Salley. Hehe. I will be posting regularly, so please come back to read and comment, KC!
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/meg-wolff/7-tips-to-help-kick-the-s_b_696957.html
...plus the texture is outta this world...
Ari Solomon added the massaged kale recipe to the comments, but thank you for the suggestion. Like minds!
My kids have never balked at kale or other greens, but, they've also been eating them since they were toddlers. It's never a good idea to raise children on dumbed down "kid food" like chicken fingers, thinking that they are too young to try foods like kale or broccoli rabe (a favorite another poster mentioned). If your kids develop a palate for a variety of good, real foods when they are young, they are more likely to be lifelong healthy eaters.
Oh, curry, a good one. No one has mentioned kale in curries yet. Mmmmm ...and the kale roasted, too.
I think that "dumbed down" is a good way to describe this phenomenon. Children will easily eat vegetables if they are raised on them. The problem is that once they get the taste of sugar, that's all they want (it's addictive). Then they end up getting catered to whatever they'll eat–pizza , hamburgers & fries, macaroni & cheese, "kids" foods–processed foods containing sugar, salt, grease, additives like flavor "enhancers." Natural foods can't compete.
I know because I was encultured in the pattern too, doing what most people do today ... until I got advanced breast cancer. I gradually changed OUR food to real whole plant-based foods. A challenge I worked hard it, but it paid off a thousand fold for them! My daughter had allergies, ADD and she wasn't doing so well in school. After we changed our way of eating that cleared up ... she started doing really well in school and after a few years was right up there will the other kids (BTW-we never had to give her ADD meds.) I could go on and on about this, the improvements in their health–remarkable.
So BRAVO to you Laura, because you are way ahead of most people!
If anyone wants to read a great book which touches on the problem of ADHD get Dr. Mark Hyman's "The Ultra Mind Solution."
1. Try chopping the kale and placing it raw in the freezer for about 10 minutes before cooking - it will be more sweet and less tough.
2. If the kale is very large or older, blanch it first - chop it, place in a large pot of rapidly boiling water for a few minutes, plunge quickly into cold water and drain. Then you can saute it in some olive oil or butter, perhaps with some sauteed onions and garlic...then add a little stock or wine for a beautiful dish.
3. If you grow kale, pick it when the leaves are very small and have it raw in salads.
Check out: http://www.awesomeeats.com/2009/10/swiss-chard-and-collards-and-kaleoh-my.html
Thanks for the cooking tips. I'll come for a visit at "Awesome Eats."
I had to ask the grocer at Kroger to point out the Kale to me...
I used half of the branch, not knowing how it would turn out, made ribbon thin slices.
First i sauteed the red onions with grated garlic with a dash of asafoetida power, some red pepper power in olive oil. When the onion turned golden brown added the kale with sea salt and pepper. Did add some sliced pre-sauteed eggplants in the mix.
Garnished with slivered almonds.
Served on basmati rice, simply loved it...so did my husband.
Next time I would add less oil since the green shrinks a lot.
It took me one day to love kale, not a week, so thanks Meg for introducing me to another green.
:-) BB
So cute, I just read this to my husband (he just returned from his long bike ride), he laughed and said, "you're a pusher!" Hehehe. Sounds like you have it mastered–so cool. Now at some point try the steamed ...
Someone down the thread said awful if you steam, okay then, shall try, I still have half of the pkg..waiting for more of your articles...
:-) BB
I love the addition of avocados! Especially during summer (what am I talking about any time!) or if you live in a hot climate. And, cherry tomatoes (my nephew planted some in my garden!), yum! ...I'm trying this today! I'll let you know how it turns out ... I'm suspecting delicious ... especially with salt and pepper. Can you tell I LOVE to eat?
Someone recommend those "cheezy" kale chips so I got some yesterday ... they were awesome, but I wouldn't be able to resist them if I got them frequently. Definitely a good substitute for junk food though! Great for kids and athletes.
Appreciate your comment!
Great that you know the important anti-aging effects of vegetables. Not sure if there's research to prove this ... but personally I feel they've helped me look my best (at 52!), not to mention all the science that proves the nutritional properties!
Your lunch sounds yummy, I'd have some if you shared it!
I like your book title (very much makes me want it!) and write-up. It is definitely one I will check out Here's the link for others:
http://www.amazon.com/dp/0762437405/?tag=thehuffingtop-20
I'm sold on the sex part! Hehe. Just bought it, thanks!
Luv your suggestions ... someone just asked about more raw recipes ... yours sound heavenly!
Luv broccoli Rabe & chard, too. You're in good company!
http://www.drweil.com/drw/u/RCP02206/Tuscan-Kale-Salad.html
I also ALWAYS add chopped kale to soup, which I make all the time whenever I have leftover veggies in the fridge (weekly, I guess!). (It probably goes without saying I always also have homemade stock in the freezer, but that's another story).
Great that you have homemade stock in the freezer, that DOES say a lot. Good going.
Thanks for the recipe link. Have got other recipes, but not this salad recipe, so thank you. It's SO great– the variety of kale recipes that people are suggesting (including yours!). :-)
I haven't even seen it in the stores, but if it shows up. I'm sure it won't be organic. I don't see it listed on my list of "Must Be Organic" produce. How is Kale grown?
I'll eat spinach uncooked, too, but I cook my kale (I've juiced it raw occasionally, though). There are a few recipes for raw salads in the comments ... try and report back. Or ... try it cooked as I've recommended in the Kale Challenge ... you might surprise yourself!
If you like spinach, you'll love kale, a must-try veggie. Do you have any Farmers' Markets? Maybe they have it ... not on the "dirty dozen" list, you're right, but I still get the organic because of having had cancer. I grew it in my garden in Maine without pesticides this summer. How does it grow? A leafy green vegetable just flowers upwards (1-1/2 feet high, in maine) out of the soil. One plant has about 10 separate leaves, depending on the type of kale.